Innovative: Chat within Banner Ads

The phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" must have been coined in a recession (or a depression), as there are some very creative solutions coming to market with the aim to go beyond generating awareness, and instead to focus on establishing genuine consumer connections.

Traffic Marketplace today announced the launch of Livemarkets Lite, a version of the company's click-to-chat technology that enables consumers to engage in a live-chat session and interact directly with advertisers through an actual display advertising unit. That's pretty unique and perhaps one of the most innovative uses of both chat and display advertising I've seen.

Livemarkets Lite features Chat Assist, an innovative intelligence technology that answers up to 95% of consumer questions by referencing an intelligent database. Powered by Upsellit.com, the Chat Assist database dynamically answers a wide spectrum of common questions tailored to each campaign. Livemarkets Lite also provides advertisers greater insight into market perceptions by providing detailed chat activity analysis and reporting, including the type of questions commonly asked by consumers.

"Talking with your customers is different than talking to your customers," said Tom Kogler, president and CEO of Upsellit.com, the technology provider for Chat Assist. "Engaging in a two-way conversation allows advertisers to create a deeper connection between consumers and their brand. The combined capabilities of Livemarkets and Upsellit.com will help advertisers of all shapes and sizes create a dialogue and let consumers participate in the brand experience."